Lubricating apparatus for compressors and similar machines.



(3. F. STEEDMAN.

'LUBHICATING APPARATUS FOR COMPRESSORS AND SIMILAR MACHINES.

APPLICATION FILED JUNE 2!.1913.

1,162 262 w 7 Purem m 30,1915;

onrrnn s re-tens; PATENT. series.

GEORGE E. STEEDMQN, OF ST. LQUIS, MISSOURI, ASIGNOR 1J0 CURTIS 8c COMPANY MANUFAGTUBING JOM EANY, 6F WELLSTON, MISSOURI, A CORPQBATION O F MIS- SCSURI.

I LUBB1ATZNG APPARATUS FOR COMPRESSOES AND SIMILAR MACHINES.

3 ssess.

Te-all whom t may concern Be it known that I, GEORGE F. S'rnnoMAN, a citizen of the United States, residing at St. Louis, Missouri, huveinvented a certain new and useful improvement in Lubricating Apparatus forQompressors and Similar Mechines, of which the following is e full, clear, and exact description, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it eppertains to make and use the some.

This invention relates to machines of the The main object of my present invention.

to provide on efficient lubricating system of simple construction, which is so designed that it is not necessary to usea baliie plate at the lower end oi the cylinder of the machine, in order to "revent an excessive supply ofoil to the cyf inder.

Another object to provide an inexpensive lubricating apparatus for machines of.

the general type mentioned that comprises means for supplying s. definite quantlty of oil. to the parts of the machine which it is desired to lubricate endineans for conducting substantially all of the surplus oil not required by said parts back to theoil bath in the crank the apparatus being so designed that it is not necessary to continually adjust some to compensate for slight variations iii the speed of the machine, in the depth oi the oil bath and in the Viscosity of the oil, 7

Other objectsand desirable features of my invention. will be hereinafter pointed out.

Figure 1 of the drawings is a side elevationul view, partly in vertical section, of a single cylinder compressor constructed in accordance with my invention. Fig. 2 is a vertical sectional View taken on the line 22 of Fig. l and Fig. 3 is a horizontal-sectional view taken on the line 33 of Fig. '2.

Referring to the drawings, which illustrate the preferred form of my invention, A

designates thecylinder of the. machine, B

tliepiston said cylinder, C the crank Specification of Letters Patent. Application rues June 21,1915. Serial Not 35,316.

Patented Nov. 30, 1915.

case, D the crank shaft and E the connecting rod which joins the pistonto the crank arm F on the crank shaftgthe cylinder A being arranged vertically with its open lower end communicating with the crank case. The bottom portion of the crank case G acts as a container for a bath of lubricating oil (not shown) and thecrank arm on the crank shaft is provided with a pair of oil-throwing devices 1 and 1 that are arranged out of vertical alinem'ent with the cylinder and which are adapted to dip into the bath of oil and throw the oil in vertical planes, said oil throwers being preferably provid d'with knife-pointed. ends. so that they wil throw small drops of oil in well defined paths which vary only slightly in reasonable speed limits. The oilthat is thrown upwardly by the oil throwers l and l is caught by deviceswhich conduct the oil to the crank shaft bearings 22, tothe connecting rod bearing 3 and to the cooperating surfaces of the piston. and cylinder, and means are "provided for conveying substantially all of the surplus oil not required by said lubricated parts back to the :oil bath in the crank case. In the preferred form of my invention as herein shown the oil thrower 1 supplies oil to a cylinder lubricating device 4 which consists of an inclined pin arranged at the upper end ot the crank case in vertical alinement with the oil thrower 1, so that it will intercept some of the oil thrown upwardly by the device 1. The pin 4 inclines downwardly,'as shown in Fig. 1, and the lower end: of same projects into an opening 5 formed in the lower end of the cylinder A,

' conducted to'the, inner wall of the cylinder A, the reciprocating movement of the piston B in said cylinder causing the oil to be distributed over the coiiperating surfaces of the piston and cylinder, and thus keeping the cylinder and piston thoroughly lubricated. The wrist pin 8 that secures the connecting means of ducts 8? in the piston that lead rod E to the piston is kept lubricated by from" the wrist pin bearings and terminate in the outer face of the piston, as shown in Fig. l. Theinclined pin Lethal; lubricates the cylinder is preferably iade circular- 5 shaped incross section, an if said pm is properly designed or made the proper. diameter, it will intercept the approximately cor- I rect amount of oil andq'supply it to-the cylinder to keep the cylinder and piston properly 1 lubricated. The number of drops of oil required per r'ninutein a given cylinder at a given number of revolutions per minute does not have to be'exact, and I have found that a cylinder lubricating device consisting of am inclined pin of fixed diameter will give the proper amount of oil within good com mercial limits for a commercial variatlon in the speed of the machine accompanied by a commercial variation in the oil bath and also a commercialvariation in theviscosity of the oil. v 1 A vertically-disposed web or vane 9 that extends transversely across the lower end of the pocket 7 in vertical alinement with one of the crank shaft bearings 2 intercepts some of thejoil thrown upwardly by the oil thrower 1 and conducts such oil to the vertical end wall of the crank case down which the oil, drains to the cooperating crank shaft bearing 2, the lower edge of said vane or web being inclined downwardly toward the vertical end wall "of the crank case, as shown in Fig. 1. A similar web or 'vane 9 is arranged at the opposite end of the crank case in vertical alinement with the oilthrower '1, so as to intercept some of-the oil thrown upwardly by the device 1* and conduct it to theothcr crank shaft bearing 2 in a similar manner. If desired, the 40 end walls of the crank case can be provided with inwardlyprojecting ribs 10 and 10 that are arranged over the-crank shaft bearlllQS 2 as shown in Fi 1. and which are provided with holes 11, as shown in ig. 2, 5 that receive and hold the oil which drains down the end walls of the crank case, each" of said ribs being of substantially inverted V-shape, so that the surplus. oil which overflows from the oil pocket 11 formed in said rib will be conducted back to the oil bath in the crank case.

The. connecting rod bearing 3 is provided with an oil holder or reservoir 12 which is supplied with oil by means of oil-dripping devices 13 consisting of inclined ribs arranged on the inner side of the crank case adjacent the upper-end of same in alinement with thepath of travel of the connecting rod bearing 3. Oil is conducted to these 1 oil-dripping devices 13 by means of oildistributing flanges ll" and H arranged at the upper end of the crank case in'such a manner that they wil l intercept some of the oil that is thrown upwardly by the oil" 4 throwerspn the crank arm, the distributing flanges 1% extending from one of the end walls of. the crank case to the oil-dripping devices 13, as shown in Fig. 3, and having inclined lower edges over which the oil travels to the devices 13, the distributing flanges 14* terminating at the lower end of the cylinder instead of running to the end wall of cept the oil that is thrown upwardly into the pocket 7 in which the lubricating device 4 is arranged. I

The oil-throvving devices and the coiip erating oil-intercepting members and oildistributing and feeding devices previously mentioned are so proportioned and designed that approximately the proper amount of oil will be supplied to the cylinder, to the crank shaft bearings and .to the connecting rod bearing to keep said parts thoroughly lubricated under normal working conditions, but, in order to prevent an objection-- able quantity of any surplus oil not required by the connecting rod bearing or which may be thrown from the crank arms from being,

thrown into the open lower end of the W1 1 inder when the machine is in operation, I have provided means for collecting said surplus oil thrown centrifugally. from the oil reservoir 12of'the connecting rod hearing or the crank arms F, and conducting said surplus oil back to the crank case. In the form of my invention herein shown said means consists of two substantially yoke the crank case, so that they will not intershaped deflectors 15 arranged at the upper From the foregoing it will'be seenpthat i the oil-throwing devices 1 and 1 supply a defi'niteoquantity of oil to the cylinder lubricating device 5 to the oil holders 11 for the crank. shaft bearings and to the dripping devices 13 which feed the oil reservoir of the connecting rod bearing 3. Any surplus ea not required by the crank shaft bearings conducted back to the oilbath by the in- .clinedflanges l0 andlO on the end walls of p the crankcase, and an objectionable quautity of any surplus oil not required by the connecting rod hearing or any oil that is thrown centrifugally by the crank arm conducted back to, the oil bath by the L 4 shaped or yoke-shaped deflectors 15 ranged at the upper end of the crank case.

The oil that constitutesthe oil bath is introduced into the crankcase through a.

filling device 16 of any preferred design,

and a breather opening 17 is formed in 7 A end of the cylinder,

.vices are so designed 'ing devices are so of the end wallsof thecrank case, as shown inFig. 1. In order to prevent the oil from escaping from the crank shaft bearings 2, I have provided one of said crank shaft bearing 2 terminates in proxunity to an oil-collecting pocket 19, from which a duct 20 leads to the crank case, so that any oil that escapes from the outer end of said crank shaft bearing 2 will be conducted back to the crank case. v

A lubricating system of the construction above described is eiiicient, is of simple construction and it can be manufactured at a low cost. It is so designed that it is not necessary to use a baiileplate at the lower in order to prevent an excessive supply of oil to the cylinder, and it is so designed that it is not necessary to constantly change provide for slight variations in the speed of themachine, in the depth of the oil bath and in the thickness of the oil.

The devices that conduct the oil from the bath to the feeding and distributing deand arranged that they throw small drops of oil in well defined paths which vary only slightly in reasonable speed limits, and said feeding and distributdesigned and arranged that the oil they intercept will be conveyed to the parts of the machinewhich' require lubrication. All, or practically all, oil that is thrown unintentionally by the crank arm or other moving parts in the crank case is caught by the deflectors 15 and'conducted back to the oil bath. Consequently, said vented from entering the cylinder or drip:

deflectors make it possible to supply .the cylinder and other parts with a. definite quantity of oil by means of the throwing devices and the distributing devices with which they cooperate, the surplus oil or all that is thrown unintentionally being preping onto the oil-distributing devices by means of the deflectors 1'5.

Having thus described-my invention, what I claim, and desire to secure by Letters Patcut is: I

1 In a machineof the character described, a crank case, a vertically-disposed cylinder having its lower and open and in communi cation with said crank case, an oil distributing means, a crank shaft provided with an oil-throwing meansthat cooperates with said distributing means to supply a definite quantity of oil to certain parts of the machine that require lubrication,- and deflectors arranged in the crank casein proYimit-y to the open lower end of the cylinder without obstructing same for preventing surplus oil the adjustment of same to from being thrown by the moving parts of the machine into the cylinder.

2. In a machine of the character described,

a crankcase, a vertically-disposed cylinder whose lower end is open and in communication with the crank case, oil-distributing de- .vices for supplying oil to certain parts oi the machine which requirelubrication, a crank shaft'provided with means that dips into a bath of oil and throws the oil onto said devices, and means for collecting any surplus oil that is thrown by moving parts in the crank case and preventing such oilfrom finding its way in objectionable quantities to the parts which said distributing devices supply with 011.

3. In a machine of the character described, I

a cylinder having its lower end open and in communication with a crank case that con .t'ains a bath of ll'ibricating oil, oil-distributing {devices that supply oil to the cylinder and other parts of the machine that require lubrication, a revolving means in the crank case that dips into said bath and throws oil directly onto said distributing devices, and

;, means for preventing an objectionable quantity 0t thrown oil from striking said oildistributing devices or from entering-the open end of the cylinder.

' 4. In a machine of the character described, a crank case that is adapted to contain a bath of lubricating oil, a vertically-disposed cylinder having i s lower end open and in communication with the crank case, arevolving oil-throwing means in the crank case that is adapted to dip into the bath of oil in the crank case and supply oil to parts of the machine'that require'lubrication, and a deflector arranged in the upper portion of the crank case at one side of the cylinder for preventing an objectionable quantity of oil from being thrown directly into the lower end of the cylinder.

5. In a machine of the character described, a crank case that is adapted to contain a bath of lubricating oil, a vertically-disposed cylinder having its lower end open and in communication with the crank case, a revolving oil-throwing means in the crank case that is adapted to dip into the bath of oilin the crank case and supply oil toparts of the machine that require lubrication. and a de fiector arranged in the upper portion of the crank caseat one sideof the cylinder for preventing oil in objectionable quantities from being thrown. directly into the lower end-of the cylinder, said deflector being so designed that it will conduct the oil which it intercepts back to the oil bath.

6. In a machine of the character described, a crank case that is adapted to contain a bath of lubricating oil, a vertically-disposed cylinder having its lower end open and in communication with said crank case, a crank shaft provided with an oil-throwing means thatdips intosaid bath of oil intermittently and throws drops of oil upwardly,

' and yoke-shaped deflectors arranged at the upper end of the crank case in vertical alinement with the path of travel of'the crank arm on the crank shaft for preventing an objectionable quantity of oil from being a'crank case that is adapted to contain a bath of lubricating oil, a vertically-disposed cylinder arranged in 'the upper end of said crank case and having anopening formed in 'its'side wall adjacent the lower end of thrown into the open end of the cylinder.-

7. In a machine of the character described,

a crank case that is adapted to contain a bath of lubricating oil, avertically-disposed cylinder-having its lower end open and in communication with said crank case, a crank shaft having a crank arm connected by means ofa'connectine rod with a piston in said cylinder, an oil-dripping device on the side Wall of the crank case arranged in alinement with the path of travel of said connecting rod for supplying oil to the bearing of same, and-means for delivering oil from said oil bath onto said dripping device.

8. In a machine of the character described, a crankcase, a vertically disposedcylinder arranged at the upper endof the crank case and having an openingformed in the lower portion of the sidewallof same, a downwardlysinclined oil feeding device. projecting into said opening, and a revolving'oilthrowmg means in the crank case for supplying'oil to said device.

9. 'In a machine of the character described,

same, a cylindenfeeding device arranged in apocket or hoiising that communicates with the crank case, said device consisting of a downwardly-inclined'pin that. projects into the opening in the side wall'of the cylinder, and means operated by the crank shaft of the machine that dipsinto said bath of oil and throws drops of oilupwardlyonto said pin.

'10. In a'mac'hine of'th'e 'character de- I scribed, a crank case that is adapted to contain' a bath of lubricatingoil, a verticallydisposed cylinder having its lower end open and in communication with the crank case, means for throwing drops of ()ll lIl Well'defined vertical paths when the machine is in operation, means for intercepting said thrown oil and conducting it to the parts" of the machine that-require lubrication, and means for'causing the surplus oil not required by said lubricated parts to pass hack to the oil bath without coming in contact with said oil-interceptingmeans, s

11. In a machine of the haracter described, a crank ease having a pocket at the upper end of same,averticallydisposed cyl-' inder whose lower, end forms one wall of said pocket, said wall having. an opening operation.

rod for joining, the crank armthereon to j H at viceslon the side walls ofthe crank case fcir the upper end of the crank case for conduct-h oil tothe bearings of the crank shaft, anciloil-throwing means, and deflectors arranged on opposite sides of theicyhnder n ve 'walls of the crank case down which it drains,

substantially arc-shaped fiangeson the end walls of the-crank case arranged above saida sa crank shaft bearings, and pockets in said 1 flanges for receiving the oilthat drains down the end walls of the crankcase. Y i I 13. In a machine of the character described, a crank case that is adapted to con} tain a bath of lubricating oil, a verticallydisposed cylinder at the upper end of said crank case, a crank shaft and a connecting a piston in said cylinder, oil-drippingde supplying oil to the hearing of said conn'ecting rod, oil-intercepting devices arranged at ing oil to the bearings of the crank shaft, and an oil-throwing means actuated bythe crank shaft that supplies oil to said ,dripf ping devices and oil-intercepting devices.

14. In a machine of the character def scribed, a crank case that is adapted to co tain a bath oflubricating oil, a vertically;

disposed cylinder, at thefupper end off-said? crank case, a crank shaft-and a connecting rod-for joining th'e crank arm thereon to the; piston in said cylinder, Oll-dZlPpl11gQdGVlC$S .195 on the side walls of the crank case for supv. plying oil to the bearingot said'connectingrod, oil-intercepting devices arranged at the I upper end of the crankcase for conducting throwing means actuated bylthe'cranlrf shalt that supplies oil to said'dripping devices and oil-intercepting devices, .acylinder his? bricator which is supplied with-oilhy said.

tical alinement with the pathof travel of thee; crank arm for preventing an ohjectionahl' f quantity ofioil from being. thrown into,-; 1thet lower end of the cylinder. j i

15,. In a machine of the character dew ascribed, a crank case that is'adapte dto con-Ii tain a bath of lubricating oil, a crank shaft" journaled in bearings mounted in the end walls ofthe crank case, means for-supplying oil to said bearings, and means for causing any oil thatescapes from the outer ends of said hearings to flow back to the crank-case,

s ze

said means consisting of an inclined rib In testimony whereof I hereunto affix m'v on 'the underside of one of $116 bearings that signature in the presence of two Witnesses, extends through a breather opening in the this Hth day of June, 1915.

crank case and an oil pocket arranged at the GEORGE F. 'STEEDMAN. outer and of-the other bearing that com- Vigngssesz municates with :1 duct that leads to said 11M. BALL,

oil bagh. W. A. YAEGER. 

